Confusion
by sweets09
Summary: I was coming back. From what? I don't know... a boy? A forgotten life? I just knew I had to find it, and a few people decided to help along the way. Chapter 10! Lacey who?
1. Chapter 1

**I was thinking about making a story like this for awhile, and when I started writing it out, it was WAY different than it is now! Hope you all like it!**

**Disclaimer: No matter how hard I try, Disney just won't give me Newsies for some reason! So yes, I still don't own Newsies, Jack is still theirs, and any other character that you see show up later is probably still theirs! But I'm working on it! **

Confusion

I was on the train ride back. It had been almost 1 full year that I had been gone from the only place that I had felt welcome, even safe at, in my life. I had found everything in that place, and nothing in the place I was coming back from.

A stranger walked up and asked with a slight New York accent if he could sit down at the seat across from me. I nodded, and then took a good look at him. He was tall, had a bandana covering half of his face, and a worn cowboy hat on his head. His eyes were deep, ahazel color, and I felt like I could fall into them. While I was looking at him, I got the feeling of being home, the one that I had left long ago. I felt like I had known him before, but I didn't think much of it. He was staring at me, also, and he started a conversation.

"What's yer name, kid?" I hardly thought he should be calling me a kid, considering we looked about the same age of 18.

"Jessie." I replied, deciding not to lie to this man who I would probably never meet again.

"Jessie, huh?" He said, looking at me as if I was lying.

"Yes, at least, I that's what I got called after my accident." Telling more of my story than I really wanted to.

"What happened?"

"I was on a horse out on a ranch where I lived, and I fell off of it and got a concussion. No one there ever really knew what my name was, since it was a hotel sort-of thing. All I know now is that I lived in New York before, and I can just tell somehow, that I had it good there."

"Can you remember anything?" He said looking at me expectantly.

"Um… I'm pretty sure that I had someone there who really cared about me. I don't know why I left, but something must've happened to make me want to go so far away from something that was so wonderful. If I'm right with all of this, that is."

He nodded as if he understood everything.

"Do you want to find this person?" He asked.

"Of course, I want to know more about me and who I was before…" I said gesturing my hand to my head before I drifted off of what I was saying.

I felt silly that this stranger knew so much about me, yet I didn't even know his name! I decided to move the subject off of me.

"I don't think I caught your name, sir." I said, being proper for once in my life.

"Da names Kelly, Jack Kelly." He said, taking off his bandana to reveal a handsome face with a warm smile.

"Where are you going, Mr. Kelly?" I asked, trying to pry information out of him, so I didn't feel completely foolish for telling him basically my whole life story. As much as I knew of it, at least.

"Same place as you, New Yawk."

"What are you going there for?" I asked.

"Ya see, I was a newsie leada, and den I fulfilled my dream of goin' ta Santa Fe."

"Was it everything it's supposed to be?" I asked, not knowing what I newsie even was.

"Nah, I missed everythin' 'bout Manhattan pretty soon." I must've looked confused, because he explained. "Manhattan is part of New Yawk, it has different parts to it."

"I know that, but… what's a newsie?"

"A newsie sells papes -I mean- papers. On the street corners and such, ya know?"

I nodded my head, and I heard the sound of the train slowing down to come into the station. When I looked out of the window, tons of memories came crashing down on me. I could remember somewhat a year ago walking onto the train that took me away. I also remembered that same boy I kept thinking. I know he was there when I left, but I just can't seem to see his face. I sighed heavily and looked up at the stranger who was standing up and gathering his things.

"Maybe I'll see you around." I said to Jack before I walked out onto the platform.

"Jessie!" he said calling out after me, "Do ya have a place ta stay?"

I shook my head, against the voice in my head telling me not to.

"I know a place ya can go and will be welcome, a lodgin' house, where all da newsies stay at night." He said.

"You sure?" I asked. "I don't want to be any trouble."

"Yea, I'm sure." Jack said, as he strode in front of me down the street.

I followed him, still not sure if it was a good idea or a bad idea.

**there it is! I might write more today or tomorrow and update it soon... if people review and like it! **

**Please Review!**

**-Sweets**


	2. Chapter 2

**i decided to add in more of the story, hope you all like it! **

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Jack, Racetrack, Mush, or any of the other newsies characters. I do own Jessie, yay!**

**so... Jessie is now following Jack (the guy she just met) and she is coming into the Lodging House... enjoy!**

Chap. 2

"Hey Kloppman." Jack said as we walked into an old building.

"Jack!" A man said,who looked like he was just as old as the building was.

They gave each other a big hug that signaled a great friendship.

"You're back soon. What happened ta Santa Fe?" The man called Kloppman asked Jack.

"It wasn't all I'se thought it'd be." Jack answered, shrugging.

Kloppman just smiled as if that was enough, and turned to me.

"Nice ta see ya again." He said to me.

I was now more confused than ever. Did he know me somehow? I turned to see Jack putting his hand in front of his neck and moving it back in forth as if trying to tell him to stop talking about me.

I wondered why Jack wanted Kloppman to stop what he was talking about, especially since the last thing they had been talking about was me.

Kloppman gave me the same 'I won't even ask' look that he had given Jack just a few minutes before.

"Pleasure to meet you, sir." I said in my best lady-like voice.

"Ya can just call me Kloppman, considerin' you're gonna be stayin' here." He said with an accent similar to Jack's.

"Why don't ya take Jessie up ta da bunk room ta see the rest of 'em." He said to Jack with a wink.

I looked over at Jack, and he had a pained expression on his face as if he was trying to decide what to do. He finally gestured for me to follow him and headed up the old, rickety stairs.

As we got to the top, I started to get more and more nervous. 'Get a hold of yourself, Jess,' I silently coached myself, 'they can't be that scary.'

Jack paused at the top and turned to me. "I'll go in foirst, just ta make sure everyone's decent. Then ya come, ok?"

I nodded and he turned the knob. I heard him yelling, with authority at the newsies to make sure they looked decent for a 'goil' to come in. I chuckled when I heard their replies.

"Got a new one already, Cowboy?" Someone yelled.

"Where'd ya meet her?" Someone else shouted.

"Hey Cowboy, what does she look like?" A third voice said.

I took this as my cue to come in. I heard a low whistle come from a corner of the room.

Now, after the accident, when I looked at myself in the mirror I would think, 'Ugh, I look so… ugly.' That sounds so vain, but I just didn't look special to myself. I used to dream that before the fall, I was some beautiful girl that all of the boys were after. Who knows, maybe I did look different before?

That's why it was such a shock to me to hear an Italian boy standing next to Jack say, "Looks like I need ta go ta Santa Fe, too!" I recognized him as the first voice that I had heard when I was standing on the steps.

Jack looked embarrassed and said, "I sat next ta her on da train, she needed a place ta stay, an' I told her 'bout here."

I stood there shyly and glanced around. Most of the boys were now standing, but some were lounging on the bunks or sitting on the ground with now forgotten cards in front of them.

A boy with brown, curly hair and a muscular physique walked up to me, confidently.

"I'm mush." He said to me with a friendly smile.

"Excuse me?" I asked him, not understanding what he was trying to say.

"Me name _is _Mush." He said, now laughing at my question. "Do ya live somewhere 'round here? I feels like I know ya."

Jack had just walked up with some other boys, including the loudmouth Italian one from before. They were all looking at me suspiciously, and I wondered what Jack had told them about me while I was talking to Mush.

"I got that same feeling after she walked in." He stuck out his hand, "Oh yeah, I'm Racetrack."

It amazed me how weird their names were, but somehow I knew that they would be like that. When I looked at Mush, I thought I might remember someone like him that I knew before, named Oatmeal or something along those lines. Racetrack also reminded me of someone, possibly named Speedway. Maybe…no, these can't be the same people that I knew before. That's too odd; I'll just push it out of my head.

"Do ya have a name?" Racetrack asked me, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Yes!" I said, maybe a little too loudly, "It's Jessie."

"Well, Jessie, we was just headed for Tibby's- dat's a restaurant- to celebrate Cowboy comin' back. You wanna join us?"

**ok it stopped at a weird spot, but I have a really good idea of where it will go from here! Review to tell me if you liked it or not... but reallyI just want reviews if you liked it! Just kidding, really tell me what you think! **

**-Sweets**


	3. Chapter 3

**I thought I would try to get a little more of the story up before I go out of town for a little while. Hope everyone likes it! **

Chap. 3

I spent the better part of the evening trying to figure out what I was going to do about finding my past- and that boy. Jack noticed me just sitting in a booth, not really listening to what anyone was saying to me.

"Hello, Jessie? Anybody home?" Jack asked me, snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"Yes, of course! Why wouldn't I be?" I said, flustered and embarrassed that he had caught me not paying attention.

He gave me a concerned look and said, "I figured dat since Race had been talkin' to ya for almost ten minutes, and you hadn't answered anything he had said, something was wrong."

"I'm a little tired." I said, knowing that I was lying to a person who had been so nice to me. "Could I maybe go back to the Lodging House?"

He agreed to let me go, but wanted to make sure someone else came with me.

"Skittery!" Jack yelled across the room.

"Yea, Cowboy?" Skittery answered. He was only standing about 2 feet away, and I really didn't think Jack needed to yell.

"Are ya ready ta go?" Without waiting for a reply, he continued, "Good, take Jessie back to da Lodging House." Skittery gave Jack a bad look, but started to walk out.

"I'm sorry." I said once we were outside. He just kept walking, and I had to double my usual pace just to keep up with him.

I had only spoken to Skittery once since I had gotten here, and he seemed like he was in a bad mood then. I was starting to see now that he must always be like this. He wasn't answering anything I was saying to him, so I decided to take a good look at him. He had brown hair that was a little curly and brown eyes. He was tall, but not quite as tall as Jack. On his face he had a frown that looked almost permanent. 'Come on, please just smile, or at least say something' I silently begged him on the quiet walk back.

We got to the lodging house door, and he at least held the door open for me. Skittery then stomped up the stairs and flung open the door into the bunk room.

"Jeez, what did I ever do to you?" I said to myself.

I jumped when I heard the door slam behind Skittery. I hoped he hadn't heard me, because then he _would_ have a good reason not to like me.

I wanted to go upstairs, yet I didn't want to have to face Skittery. I decided I would have to sometime, so I crept up the stairs to the bunk room. The room was dimly lit, and I groped my way around, trying to find the bunk that had been shown to me earlier today. I tripped over someone's discarded clothes that were on the ground. I reached out for something to grab, but instead landed on a mattress that was on a bottom bunk.

"Ungf," the mattress said.

I jumped up, startled, and saw a just as startled boy sit up in the bunk.

"S-s-s-orry," I stuttered out to the boy who I just woke up.

I couldn't see much of his face, but I knew for sure that it wasn't Skittery. I could see that he had light colored hair, probably blond. He just laid back down on the bunk, sleepily, mumbling to himself.

I cautiously continued on, this time careful not to trip over anything. I got to what looked like the bunk I was supposed to sleep on that night and collapsed down into it. Tomorrow was going to have to be the day that I start my search for the person that may know something about me or at least about my past. I thought about the meeting as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

**I wonder whats gonna happen! Hope everyone likes it (but I guess it's ok if you don't) Please review, and tell me what you think!**

**-Sweets**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:I own Jessie and thats about it... everyone else is sadly owned by Disney.**

**so, finally, here it is! chap. 4! **

Chap. 4

I woke up to the sounds of noisy boys. It took me a few seconds to remember where I was, and then a few more to actually get out of the bottom bunk I had slept on. Skittery waltzed by, and he didn't even glance at me. I remembered how ignorant he had been last night. Remembering that led to me remembering falling on that mystery boy. All I knew about him was that he had blond hair, which isn't saying much.

I sat on my bunk, watching them get ready to start selling their 'papes'. Some of them were jumpy and excited (Mush, Racetrack), while others were tired and somehow heaved themselves across the floor (Jack, Skittery, and Snipeshooter).

I felt a pang, watching them act just like how I thought a family should be. How I hoped _my_ family would be.

We soon headed off to the distribution office; where I was told most all of the newsies get their papers. I had walked up with Jack and Racetrack, and I hadn't really seen anyone who looked like the mystery boy. I did see someone with blond hair, but it turned out to be Dutchy, another newsie that I had already met and I knew was still at Tibby's when I had left last night.

Jack sauntered up to the front of the line, and was followed by Racetrack (who I had been told I could call Race) and Mush.

"Where's Blink?" Race asked to no one in particular.

Blink? Who's Blink? I must've looked confused, because Mush moved over next to me and explained. I was starting to wonder if I really was that readable by my facial expressions.

"He ran over ta Brooklyn ta talk about-"

"Headlines!" Jack said quickly, cutting Mush off, "Yeah, dat's right, headlines."

Race and Mush nodded hurriedly. I was starting to see that they were all very reserved. Not one of them had talked that much about themselves, but they were more than willing to hear about why I was here and what had happened to me.

"But, I haven't met him yet, have I?" I asked them, still confused about who we were talking about. I had met a lot of boys last night, and I could just not remember him or something.

"Uh, no, he was, ah, busy." Jack replied.

Race and Mush nodded, again with Jack. We stepped up, and Jack insisted he pay for my papes.

I may have lost my memory, but I knew how to read. It was beyond me how this had happened, and most days I had wished I could have my memory and give up my reading ability. An elderly lady at the ranch had told me that this was a sign that before I could've been a wealthy daughter of someone. I certainly didn't believe this, because if this was true, wouldn't they care about me and want to come and find me? This was another reason I had to find that person I kept having random memories about.

Anyway, I could read, so I had no problem reading the headlines and yelling them out. I learned that I wasn't very good at lying, though. Jack decided I should go with him to learn more about how to sell the papes better and I guess how to lie to people.

Racetrack had waved goodbye to us and headed off to a racetrack (I was guessing considering his name). Mush had turned off at some street and started yelling out a headline. Jack was guiding me over to a beautiful bridge.

I saw the water below and I remembered standing here before. There was a boy, but it didn't feel like the same boy as before. I was close to him standing there physically, but also it felt like I was close to him emotionally.

When I looked up, Jack wasn't anywhere to be found. I ran out onto the bridge, looking for a tall boy with blonde hair. I was also trying to dodge all of the people going off to work, who weren't dodging me.

While trying to do this was difficult enough, I ran into someone who seemed like was running at full speed when they hit me.

"Well, well, well. Nice to see you again." A stranger said arrogantly.

**hehe! I LOVE clifhangers! Not w/ stories that I'm reading, but of course with ones that I write and get to write what happens! mwhaha! (that was supposed to be an evil laugh...) **

**Did you know this week is 'Review the Newsies fan fic. week'? haha... SO REVIEW!**

**Thanks in advance!**

**-Sweets**


	5. Chapter 5

**here ya go!**

Chap. 5

"Huh?" I asked the boy who was dressed like a newsie, "What do you mean?"

"What, ya don't remembah yer own bruddah?" He said to me, still with an air of arrogance about him.

I glared at him, which he seemed to find humorous. He smirked at me and tried to imitate what I looked like with his steely blue grey eyes.

I was used to being made fun of because I don't remember my past. For some reason, people like to act like they knew me before, and see if I'll believe them. This boy must've heard some other newsies talking about me, and decided to act like he knew me as a joke.

"Haven't you noticed we have the same colored eyes?" he said, grabbing a hold of my wrist and dragging me over to where the bridge and road meet, so I could look in the water.

As much as I didn't like it, he was right. As I gazed into the water I saw that we both had the same eye color. He had a mixture of blonde and brown for a hair color, while I had dark brown, almost black hair. This, to me, meant he still could be lying.

Jack came running up out of breath from looking for me. He pulled the boy over and started speaking angrily at him in a hushed tone. I was straining to hear what they were saying, but all I could make out was, "not thinking", "wait awhile", and "leave". At that last word, the seemingly conceited boy stormed off, his eyes flashing the same color that mine did whenever I was mad.

Jack waltzed over to me, acting like he just didn't lose me, and then find me with some stranger. I didn't know that boy, but it sure seemed like Jack knew a lot about him to be able to make him leave.

Jack started to show me the way, but this time he walked almost right next to me. I guess he didn't want to lose me again, and how he was acting you would think I was looking for that boy.

"Jack…Jack," I said, tugging on his sleeve like a child. He nodded his head to acknowledge me, but didn't stop walking, so I continued. "What is that boy's name?"

He stopped and twisted around to face me "Uh, he's from Brooklyn." He was talking in the hesitant way that I had heard him talking in before.

"And his name is…" Now I was just trying to pry the answer out of him.

Jack looked at me like he was going to answer me for a second, but sighed, shook his head at me, and turned back around.

With that turn, I felt something inside me snap. I had told him and all of the other newsies everything about me, yet they didn't even have the dignity- no, the civility to tell me something about themselves.

"Doesn't he have a name?" I asked him, feeling bold.

"Well, yea, but it's not dat simple." I kept looking at him expectantly, hoping for more. "Dat boy ya met, he isn't all dat open."

"He seemed pretty open it me, I mean, he told me that we were siblings." The feeling of rebellion was still in me, and I'm sure he realized that.

Jack gave me a look of complete and utter surprise. "H-h-he what?" In the few days that I had known Jack, I had never seen him at a lose for words.

"He told me that he was my brother." Just to anger him, I annunciated each word and spoke slowly.

Jack's face took on a contorted look. He looked at me closely and said, "Did ya believe 'im?"

"Well, no, because that seems to happen to me a lot. All we have in common is our eyes." I shrugged, and Jack looked relieved.

"Ok, then, let's get ta selling our papes."

We went out onto a corner, but I could still see the Brooklyn Bridge out in the distance. As I yelled out my headline, and that's when I realized that Jack never even told me what that boy's name is. Oh well, right now I had to concentrate on selling my papes, which I was starting to realize I was horrible at.

**yea, I'm guessing that everyone who reads this can guess who the boy is...**

**tell me your thoughts (about everything, not just the boy!) hehe**

**...and yesterday was my birthday (May 10th) so give me a super nice gift and REVIEW! **

**please and thank yous!**

**-Sweets**


	6. Chapter 6

**It's been around a week since I last updated, uh, I think! Sorry guys! Here's another chap.for you, that hopefully starts to fit some of the puzzle of this story together for everyone!**

Chap. 6

"I haven't sold 1 pape," I whined to Jack, while he was giving _another_ paper to a businessman. "and you still haven't told me what that boy's name is."

He sighed, wiped his brow, and said, "Alright, let's take a break."

"You're avoiding what I'm saying, again!" I griped.

Jack held up his hands, "Hey, don't start wit me." Then he started to walk toward the place where we had eaten the night before, Tibby's.

"Fine," I said, deciding to give up for now, "just tell me how you can sell so many papes?" Even if I didn't know how long I was going to be staying in New York, I did want to know how to sell papers.

"All ya got ta do is lie." He said nonchalantly.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, "Lie? I've never had to lie before!" Jack gave me a disbelieving look, "Ok, that I can remember at least."

"Now ya startin' ta sound like da walkin' mouth."

"The what?"

"Ah right, ya haven't met Davey yet. He wasn't at da restaurant yesterday, was he? Anyway, David said dat same thing when he started sellin' papes."

We stepped into the restaurant that was already full of newsies. Most of them were gathered around tables, but some were acting wild in the booths. Racetrack was the first one to spot us walk through the doors.

"Look who's here!" He flailed his arms in the air to try and get our attention, as if we couldn't hear or see him above everyone else.

"Hiya Race." Jack said, as he settled down at their table.

I awkwardly stood there, trying to decide if I should sit with Jack, or leave him alone. I chose the latter, because Jack seemed like he was annoyed at me, though I had done nothing wrong whatsoever. That I could tell of, at least. I searched for somewhere to sit away from Jack and some of the others, and saw an open booth. I quickly slid into it and noticed that Mush was sitting across from me. There were two other boys, one with curly brown hair and gorgeous blue eyes sitting next to me, and the other with an eye patch over one eye and sandy blonde hair across from me. Mush looked up from his food and seemed surprised to see me.

"I thought dat you would be…uh…not here dis afternoon."

"And why wouldn't I be?" I said suspiciously, trying to piece together why he would think that I wouldn't be back this afternoon.

After a long pause, the boy with curly hair said, "I think he just thought that you would be busy selling you papers. With this being your first day and all."

Considering how he butted in the conversation without even introducing himself, I thought I would take a wild guess. "Let's see, you must be the walking mouth."

He looked appalled that someone, let alone a girl, would say something like that to him. The glanced over to the boy with the eye patch to see what he was doing, and he seemed to be finding something _very_ interesting in his food.

"I'm not a walking mouth. Right? Right?" the boy said looking around for reassurance.

"Well, ya kinda are, Davey." Mush said, looked amused at the conversation.

"You aren't that bad of a walking mouth, don't worry." I looked sidways at David and we grinned at each other. I then said, "Nice to meet you, David. I'm Jessie."

At that, the boy with the eye patch looked up in surprise. There was something about him that I just couldn't place. We must've been staring at each other, because David waved his hand in front of my face and glanced from me to the eye patch boy.

"Dis is Kid Blink, but we sometimes just call him Blink."

"Pleasure to meet you, Blink." That's when realization hit me. This was the same Blink that the others had been talking about earlier today. He must've gotten back from Brooklyn and came here.

He kept staring at me, as if in disbelief about something or other. I stuck out my hand for him to shake, which seemed to make him mad. He stood up and stormed out of the restaurant. When I stood up to go after him, Mush grabbed a hold of my arm.

"Just let him cool off a little." David said.

"Are you sure that he's not related to Skittery? Geez!" We all laughed and continued on with our lunch. I slouched down into my seat, still a little disappointed at how lunch had gone.

**Yea, yea, kinda cheesy last line, but I felt that a tinsy bit of comic relief was needed. Hope you all got it... **

**Today I was sick w/ stomach flu, which is always just so much fun (get the sarcasm?) ugh... reviews always cheer me up, though! **

**-Sweets**


	7. Chapter 7

**ARGH! I'm so sorry this has taken so long... I really wanted to get this chap. done sooner. A lot has been going on in my life, more than I think I could/should write here! Let's just say that school is out and I'll try and get things done sooner! Yay, right? **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies or any of the characters, but I did find out that when I was in 3rd grade I saw Trey Parker (Kid Blink) in EYC when they opened for Backstreet Boys, but I don't remember:( **

Chap. 7

After I was done with lunch, I said goodbye to Mush and David. Mush flashed me a bright smile and tried to reassure me about Kid Blink.

"Don't worry 'bout Blink. He's goin' through a tough time right now."

"I'm certainly not part of his 'tough time', so he shouldn't take this out on me!" I halfway yelled.

I walked over to where Jack was sitting with Racetrack, to tell him that I was going to go back to the lodging house. They both had their backs to me, so they didn't see me walk up. I was about to say something, when Race spoke.

"Hey Jack, whatada gonna do 'bout da poker game with Brooklyn tonight? Spot is gonna be dere."

Spot? Why does that name ring a bell? Maybe I know this Spot person, and he knows about me! Race and Jack said that he is going to be at a poker game, so I'll talk to him there to see if he knows anything!

I excitedly tapped Racetrack on the shoulder, "Who's Spot?" Jack twisted in his chair and glared up at me.

"No one dat ya need ta concoin yerself with."

I felt the excited feeling deflate out of me, quickly replaced by anger. "Why does it matter who I 'concoin' myself with? You can't tell me who I see or talk to, Jack. I'm going to talk to Spot and see if he knows me!"

I didn't know if I was actually going to see Spot, but I did know that I wanted to hurt Jack. When I saw his crestfallen face, I was actually glad that I had caused that.

"I woudn't do dat if I was you." Racetrack piped in.

"Why not, and don't tell me that I don't need to concern myself with him." I turned away so I couldn't see them, but still listened.

There was silence, so I turned back to look at them. Race looked up at me and shrugged sheepishly.

I looked daggers at each of them, "That's what I thought."

I spun around and stomped to the door. As I opened the door, it hit a waiter that was carrying a tray of food. As all the food spilled to the floor, the entire restaurant that was filled with newsies stared at me. I didn't dare look at Racetrack or Jack, but I swear I could feel their smirks. I tried to put an indifferent look on my face, and I quickly moved outside.

"I must not be very good at dramatic exits." I said to myself quietly as I headed back to the lodging house to get ready for the poker game with Brooklyn. I was going to see this Spot person no matter what Jack told me.

**Shorter chappy than usual... I'm sorry guys, I've been having MAJOR writer's block! I know where I want to go with it, but there is the whole, 'how do I get there from here' thing. **

**So review please, and I'll attempt to get a new chap. out in the next week or so. AND you don't have to even have an account to review anymore! Everyone should be reviewing then, hmmm?**

**-Sweets**


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm SO sorry that this has taken so long! I've been really busy with softball, and my family is hosting a Spanish student from Madrid. I obviously can't just sit at the computer and write while she is here, so I've been staying up late at night to try and get this done! I've even reduced to threatening myself to get a chap. done (which, uh, doesn't work!) :) Thanks for all the reviews for last chap., though, everyone! I've appreciated it a lot, and it's helped me keep going even when it's 2:00am! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies, or Rascal Flatts' song, My Wish (which I use in this chap.). If anyone wants to hand any of those over, though, that would really be okay!**

Chap. 8

As I stepped into the Lodging House, Kloppman stopped me.

"I gotcha yer own room. It's not much, but it should be bettah den sleeping in the same room as all those grubby boys." He shrugged and turned to go back into his office area.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Kloppman!" I ran up to him and gave him a big hug. He looked surprised, but then relaxed and hugged me back. Kloppman gave me a warm smile as he opened his office door before slipping in.

I was elated that I had my own room. I had nothing against the newsies, but they weren't the cleanest group of boys. I trusted most of them, and if anyone did try something, I had the rest of them to help me. The thing I was most excited about, though, was the space I would have. A whole room to myself!

I bounded up the stairs and into the bunk room. From there I went past the washing area to the other side where a single door stood. I turned the knob, and went in. The area was somewhat smaller than I would've liked, but I was grateful for the space anyway. In the room rested a single bed, with a small stand next to it. Across the room there was a petite dresser, and there was a tiny window with a fire escape outside of it.

When I tossed my small secondhand suitcase down on the bed, a cloud of dust came up at me. I sneezed, and then I went over to open the window. I guessed that the room hadn't been used in awhile because the air was stuffy. I cringed thinking about how dirty the sheets must be. Knowing that I had nothing else to do, I pulled the sheets off. There was a single sheet, an old wool quilt, and a bed cover. I decided that it would be better to not wash the quilt, and to just wash the other two covers. I went into the washroom and grabbed the basin that was probably used to wash clothes in, though I couldn't imagine how much the boys actually washed their clothes.

As I was washing the sheets, I started to sing a song that I somehow knew. It seemed to just pop into my head and came flowing out of my mouth.

_I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow,  
And each road leads you where you want to go,  
And if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose,  
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.  
And if one door opens to another door closed,  
I hope you keep on walkin' till you find the window,  
If it's cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile, _

But more than anything, more than anything,  
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,  
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,  
You never need to carry more than you can hold,  
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,  
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,  
Yeah, this, is my wish.

_I hope you never look back, but ya never forget,  
All the ones who love you, in the place you left--,_

"If you'se supposed ta never forget da ones who love ya, den why did you?" A voice asked scornfully, cutting me off from my singing.

I quickly turned around to see Kid Blink leaning against the door frame, looking hurt and angry.

I was confused at how he kept acting. "What do you mean? I didn't leave anyone out West who loved me."

"I nevah said it was anyone out West. I can't believe ya don't remembah anything about before."

"Before?" I was really confused now. "Is there something that you know about me before I was in my accident?" I bounced over to where he was standing and looked expectantly at him.

He sighed, and I thought I heard him softly say, "Screw what Jack says." He walked over to the door that led downstairs and locked it.

"Listen, I think I really should be the one ta tell ya dis…"

**There you go! So... was it worth the wait? I really hope so! Leave me a review and tell me what you thought of it! (and the song I used is called "My Wish" by Rascal Flatts, do you think it fits?) Thanks in advance everyone!**

**-Sweets**


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright, everyone be proud of me, I got this chap. done SO fast. Well, for me at least! I really wanted to get this done, because tomorrow early in the morning I'm going on vacation! I get to see Wicked! Yay! So here is the next chap.! You find out A LOT, so ENJOY! **

**Ah, but not yet, because of the...**

**Disclaimer: ugh, must I? Okay... I DON'T OWN NEWSIES! But I wouldn't mind just borrowing the adorable and caring Kid Blink just for this chap., alright? hehe ;D**

Chap. 9

"Before I tell ya, though, ya need to promise me dat ya won't tell anyone about dis."

I just wanted to get the information out of him, so I nodded.

"No, I need ya ta swear on it."

"Ok, I swear I won't tell anyone that I know whatever it is that you have to tell me." I said exasperatedly.

"'specially Jack."

I threw my hands up in the air and said, "I get it, no one can know."

He pushed his blonde hair back from his face before taking a deep breath.

"Wait! You have blonde hair!" I cried, stating the obvious.

Blink just stood there staring at me and probably wondering about my sudden outburst. I just remembered the night before when I fell into that mystery person. That person had blonde hair, and so did Blink.

"Did someone fall on you last night when you were sleeping?"

"I think, but I don't really remember." He looked quizzically at me, "Why?"

"I'm really sorry! It was me, I tripped and didn't see you."

I was relieved that now I finally knew who it was that I had tripped over the other night.

"Dat's ok." He paused and looked at me as if waiting for me to say something. When I didn't, he continued, "Do ya still wanna hear what I have to say?"

"Yes!" I had forgotten what even started our conversation in the first place. I quickly sat down on my bed and gestured for him to take a seat next to me.

He sat down and took a deep breath just like he had before I had interrupted him. "Now before I start again, ya need to know dat ya used to live here."

"I already knew that, but I don't really remember anything else."

"Did you know that ya was a newsie?"

"I-I-I was a newsie!" I said with a mixture of nervousness and surprise. I had never even pictured myself to be a newsie.

I saw a flicker of hurt, but it was quickly covered up. He put a smile back on and said, "Don't be so surprised. Ya actually are related to one of da toughest an' best newsies in all of New York."

"I am? How am I related to them?"

"He's actually yer bruddah."  
I stood up and started to frantically pace. "Who is he? What is his name? Do I know him? Where is he from?"

Blink laughed and watched me move from one side of the room to the other. "Slow down, wouldja?" When I slowed up a bit, he continued, "He's da Brooklyn leader, so he's from Brooklyn. His name is Spot Conlon, and I don't think dat ya've met him yet."

"If he's from Brooklyn, then isn't that where I'm from?"

I was confused at how the Manhattan newsies even knew who I was if I was from Brooklyn.

"Yea, you'se from Brooklyn. There are many parts of New York, an' those are just two of them. Manhattan an' Brooklyn have been close ever since our strike a little while ago. We now have poker games pretty often, in fact, tonight we'se havin' one."

"A strike? Was I here for that?" I didn't even have a flash of a memory about any strike.

He pondered it for a few moments. "No, ya left a few weeks before dey jacked up da price on us." He explained when I gave him another confused look, "Dat's why we started da strike in da first place. Pulitzer – the owner of 'The World'- made it cost more for us to buy our papes, an' we fought back."

"You won, right?" I really hoped they did, because what had happened didn't sound fair.

Blink grinned and shrugged like it was no big deal. "Of course, with just a little bit of help from dat brother of yours."

The fact that I had a brother was so new to me, and I didn't know how to react when someone said something about the unknown brother of mine. I remembered earlier having that newsie tell me that he was my brother. He really could be telling the truth, if what Blink was saying to me was true. Why would they go to all this trouble to mess with the head of the new newsie? No, they were telling the truth, I somehow knew that they were.

I remembered that I was still supposed to be listening to what Blink was saying, but when I focused on him, he was just staring at me. He kept looking like he was about to say something, but then he stopped. It seemed awkward for us to just be sitting there staring at each other, so I spoke up.

"What did you say was my brother's name again?"

"Spot Conlon, why?"

"I think I've already met him. This morning by that bridge over between Brooklyn and Manhattan."

He stopped me and said, "That would be da Brooklyn Bridge."

I glared at him for interrupting me and said, "Yea, anyway, someone told me that he is my brother, but I didn't believe him. I bet it was Spot."

"Was he short, an' have the same color eyes as ya?"

I nodded gravely and whispered, "Jack made him go away, and wouldn't tell me who he was."

Blink's face clouded over and he said, "Jack has some issues, dat's all I gotta say."

I thought for a second how the name Spot Conlon even sounded familiar, and then I remembered.

"Spot is coming to the poker game tonight, right? I heard Race and Jack saying that he was, but I was wondering if you thought he was." Please, please say yes. I really want to talk to my brother and see what he knows.

"Yea, he'll come, if he knows you'se here."

I had a huge headache, probably from getting this much information about myself that I had forgotten. I stood up from the bed and walked over to the door.

As I moved my fingers in circles on my temples, I said, "I have to get some fresh air. I'll be back for the poker game."

He looked like he still wanted to tell me something, but finally said, "Fine, don't go far. I don't want ya to get lost. And remember what I said 'bout not telling anyone what I told ya. Don't even hint it to anyone."

I nodded and flew down the stairs, almost tripping over my long skirt. I headed out of the doors, and walked to Central Park, as a sign said it was called. I really just needed to think.

**so there it is! I hope everyone liked it, I don't really know what to think of it... I have mixed feelings. **

**Everyone have a good week, and I'll be back from my vacation later this week(possibly Sat.?) and hopefully I'll get a new chap. done by next week! **

**Thanks in advance for the reviews everyone! They make me so proud of this and keep me going! **

**-Sweets**


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the wait everyone! -blushes- I've had NO time to write lately and add that to some writers block, and that equals no new chaps. for awhile. But I'm good now... ****(I won't be able to write or check email or anything for a week while I'm at a camp, but I'll be back!)**

**Oh! I can't believe I've forgotten to say this before, but THANKS a bunch to Jenny, my awesome beta reader! You're the best:D She really knows her grammar, people! hehe Aannnddd... to everyone who's reviewed this so far, you guys are awesome, and you got me to get this chap. up a week earlier than I was going to be. (because of my camp). **

**Disclaimer: I don't own newsies (obviously) but... I do own Jessie and Lacey (and the lady in the navy dress and the man in the suit I suppose haha) and I think I'll kidnap Race, kay:)**

**wow... longest AN _EVER!_**

Chap. 10

I found a tree in the park and sat down against it. Plenty of people passed by without giving me one glance, but I looked at them thinking about their pasts. Everyone has one, they have to. The lady in the navy colored dress probably has a husband who works in a factory and maybe two little kids who love her. The man in the suit could be searching for a job, because he could've just gotten fired from his previous one. The newsies even have pasts, whether they're ashamed about them or not. All I have is a few clips of my past that some stranger knows more about than I do.

It's true that as Blink was explaining everything, the few parts that I've remembered made sense with what he was saying. I still felt like I was missing something important, but I couldn't think of what it would be. Kid Blink had seemed truthful enough, so I shook that thought off.

I closed my eyes trying to fit in everything. I just wanted to remember so badly. There were three people who stood out the most in my mind. I think one of them is Spot, but I have no clue who the other two are. They're in my memories the most, so I must've been the closest to them, or they could've been friends of Spot. Either way, they were probably around me the most.

While I was in myreveriea girl with sandy brown hair sat down next to me. Closer than I wanted her to, in fact. I glanced at her uneasily.

"Aren't you going to the poker game tonight?" She spoke, making me jump 10 feet in the air.

"Can I help you?" I asked her, having no clue who she was or why she was speaking to me.

She seemed to be observing me and said, "You're Spot's sister, right?"

"That's what I've been told," I replied, "and you are…"

"Oh! Where are my manners? I'm Lacey." This girl said as she smiled and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

"You're a newsie, aren't you?"

She laughed a dainty laugh before answering, "No, oh goodness, no! I guess you would say that I'm friends with them."

"You guess, or you are?"

"I AM friends with them." She said with force.

I saw just for a second before it was hastily covered up, loathing. Towards the newsies I would guess. It was enough for my intuition to kick in and for me to know it was time to go.

"Uh, well, I guess I should go to that poker game so no one wonders where I am."

"No, we wouldn't want that, now would we?" Lacey said with what I could now see was a fake smile plastered to her face.

"Um, no. Nice to meet you."

"Pleasure, Miss Conlon."

I nodded and ran away as quickly as I could in a dress before stopping outside the lodging house. Something about that girl did not seem right, but I just couldn't put my finger on what it was. She knew me somehow, I just didn't know her. What else was new? Ever since I've been with the newsies this has happened multiple times. I was finally getting to know who was in my past, but I didn't know where they really fit in it.

And then, for the second time that day Spot Conlon stopped my in my tracks, literally.

"Look what we have here," he said in a cold tone, "my sister."

This time, I knew he was telling the truth and I was going to get some answers.

**yea, I know it was short, but I wanted to get in this next chap. before I go to camp, and I leave today, so this was where I had to stop. **

**Hope you guys liked it! If you review, I'll personally go back in time and kidnap the newsie of your choice AND giftwrap him for you! ;D **

**-Sweets**


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